Allison + Isaac

(September 25, 2021 in Peshastin, WA)

In this blog post, we hear from a bride who had a clear vision for her wedding and how it all came together on the day-of, despite some unexpected hiccups along the way. She also shares her number one tip for future brides and how to handle the emotional roller coaster of planning a wedding during a pandemic. The author had a clear vision for her wedding, including trendy elements like metallic accents and textured florals, but also wanted to keep it timeless and elegant. The event was held at Beecher Hill House, a place with sentimental value, and the author made sure to honor both of their mothers who had passed away. The author advises future brides to focus on the "big ticket items" and not get too caught up in the details, as something is bound to go wrong on the big day. The pandemic made planning even more stressful, but ultimately, the day is about the couple and their love for each other.

By our real bride, Allison:

What was the vision for your wedding?

I had a clear vision from the get-go, curated in large part thanks to my sister and aunt. The vision included some trendy elements like metallic accents, textured florals, greenery, and a custom neon sign, but it was also important to us to keep it timeless. We wanted the event to be classy and elegant, but not too stuffy (cue Garth Brooks, "Friends in Low Places!").

Having helped my older sister plan her fairytale day in 2015, there were certain vendors that were an absolute must to work with again. This included, first and foremost, Lynn Tuttle with Fleur de lis Floral and Event Design. Other vendors were either recommended by the venue or referred to me by a recent bride.

My mom and I attended Honest in Ivory’s Galentine's Day event in 2020 which was a perfect way to see the shop and preview dresses. We knew Honest in Ivory is where I would say “Yes to the dress!”

How did it go the day-of?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to get married at Beecher Hill House. Nestled among the pear and apple orchards of Peshastin, the house is down the road from Nicholson Orchards, founded by my great-grandparents. My Grandma Dorothy grew up playing at the property. In Beecher Hill House's scrapbook, you'll find pictures of young Dorothy playing in the fountain on a hot summer's day, and another of her lounging in an apple tree during her reign as Princess Peshastin in 1942.

As my dad said in his speech, our wedding was planned with a lot of love and care. Although we were excited to plan our wedding, it was a bittersweet experience. Shortly after Isaac and I were engaged, we lost my mom unexpectedly. She had an eye for detail like no other and wasted no time planning in the four short months that she was still with us after our engagement. We lost Isaac's mom in 2015 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Thus, it was incredibly important to honor both our mothers, as well as our families, throughout our day.

Before my appointment at Honest in Ivory, my sister gave me a charm with a picture of our mom. I wore the charm on a bracelet when I said "yes to the dress" and it was pinned to the outside of my bridal bouquet. Isaac had a charm with a picture of his mother pinned to the inside of his lapel. Our niece carried and placed a white rose on two empty chairs in the front row reserved for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom celebrating in heaven. In keeping with family tradition, I also carried a handkerchief that my great-grandfather brought back from Paris after serving in WWII.

My aunt brilliantly thought of fresh coffee grounds for wedding favors, ground locally by Mela Coffee Roasting Company. Other favorite details included a neon sign with our hashtag, #SuperCoopers, and pennant programs which guests waved when we came back up the aisle. With high fire danger in the Wenatchee Valley, sparklers were out of the question for a sendoff, and we needed something with minimal cleanup. We decided on custom neon glowsticks which were incredibly fun to break out on the dance floor and worked equally well for our final farewell!

All this is not to say that we did not have our share of hiccups! Our getaway car broke down minutes from the venue, the cake topper never made it on the cake, and a groomsman ripped his pants. Thankfully, nothing transpired that we could not laugh about after the fact!

What is your #1 tip to future brides?

Starting to plan can be incredibly overwhelming, but focus on the "big ticket items" i.e., venue, photographer, videographer, DJ, caterer, florist, and booking your dress shopping appointment at Honest in Ivory (obviously). Whenever I was overwhelmed by details, I found solace that if we had to get married tomorrow, we could!

Planning a wedding is stressful. Planning a wedding during a pandemic is an emotional roller coaster. Your feelings while on that coaster are so valid! It is entirely okay to be sad that things beyond your control are meddling with your Pinterest-perfect vision. However, there is so much truth in the cliché that on the big day, it really is just all about you and your person. And no matter how foolproof your planning is, something is inevitably going to go wrong, like the missing cake topper or ripped pants, but none of your guests are going to have any idea!

DRESS: AVERY BY ALL WHO WANDER

VEIL: ELENA BY ESSENSE OF AUSTRALIA

HAIR ACCESSORY: FRANKIE PINS BY SARA GABRIEL DESIGNS

BRACELET: DYLAN BY SARA GABRIEL DESIGNS

EARRINGS: TAMARA BY SARA GABRIEL DESIGNS

VENUE: BEECHER HILL HOUSE

PHOTOGRAPHER: EMMA ROSE COMPANY

VIDEOGRAPHER: OLY MINGO

FLORALS: FLEUR DE LIS FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGN

RENTALS: LAKE CHELAN WEDDING RENTALS

SIGNAGE: CHALK CHIC MAMA

HAIR: JERI BRYANT AND KRISTI MAYER